A host of eco-features -- and the simple fact that the iPad delivers 3 devices in one -- may make it the greenest device of 2010. (Too bad Apple shareholders aren't equally green.)

Despite the fact that Apple shareholders feel no sense of morality when it comes to the company's environmental performance — they voted down a proposal to reduce the company's carbon footprint — Apple has managed to create one device which is being widely heralded as the greenest computing device to date — the iPad.

Gizelle Imamo over at Huffington Post put together a nice summary of the gadget's greenest features:

But she missed one major feature that may be the greenest of them all — the iPad ostensibly collapses three devices into one. By acting as a phone, laptop and eReader, the iPad is setting the stage for the ultimate "converged device." We're not nearly there yet — the iPad misses several key features, including a camera and computing power that would rival a high-powered notebook. But the writing is on the wall. Here's Walt Mossberg's video review of the device:

Many younger people as they enter the market will be turning to the iPad as a way to have both an eReader (imagine no more paper textbooks and the ability to search) and a portable computer (and to some degree a television). Mouse and keyboard are not required with the multi-touch screen.

In addition, the device also acts as a phone. It's hard to imagine people will ever be letting go of their pocket-sized phones in the near future, but the fact that one COULD avoid having a cell phone contract by buying the iPad is appealing, especially if you are on a budget. At $500 that is a whole lot of functionality in one very light-weight (and pretty green) package.

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